The materials used to construct facilities and infrastructure have become part of the National discussion on climate change mitigation due to their pervasive use across the globe and associated greenhouse gas emissions. As the Engineering and Construction (E&C) authority for the DOD, the Corps of Engineers in its Army and Tri-Service leadership role guides the design, engineering, construction, and operations of an immense footprint of military construction around the world with over 800 installations, almost 600k facilities and structures ranging from barracks to warehouses, airfields, and bridges. Estimates indicate that upwards of 40% of anthropogenic GHG emissions are associated with buildings and infrastructure, with approximately half of that 40% being the result of the initial materials and construction alone. One stark example is that the cement used to produce concrete, by far the most used material in the world, accounts for 7-8% of all GHG emissions, just behind transportation and energy sectors. To address these concerns, the DOD and Army have undertaken significant steps to tackle challenges in climate change adaptation and mitigation in support of Executive Orders 14008 on climate change and 14057 on clean energy and sustainability. One of ERDC's efforts, developed in response to Army initiatives in alignment with sustainability and resilience goals of the Army climate strategy and installation strategy, is focused on achieving an over 50% reduction in GHG emissions of the materials used facilities and infrastructure military construction projects with respect to concrete, bio-products, asphalt, and life cycle analyses. This presentation will highlight the ERDC's sustainable structural material portfolio and highlight collaborative opportunities across government, academia, and industry.

US Army Corps of Engineers: Progress toward sustainable construction materials

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